Collapsible tube holder and expeller



Get. 26, 1937. f J. H, RUTH 2,097,308

CoLLAPfsIBLE TUBE HOLDER AND EXPELLER l Filed Sept. 30, 1936 INVERJof//v/m/mf ATTNEY Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES COLLAPSIBLE TUBEHOLDER AND EXPELLER John H. Ruth,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 30, 1936, Serial No. 103,231

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a collapsible tube holder of the kind, forinstance, which is adapted to be secured to a wall and wherein the endof the tube is adapted to be collapsed to cause the extrusion of acharge of tooth paste onto a tooth brush.

The present invention seeks a tube holder and eXpeller of the characterdescribed in which one end is secured to a rotatable member adapted tocollapse that end while the end is held against displacement at thebottom of a frame or the like.

Another object of the invention is the adjustable retention of the mouthof the tube against 'u' displacement together with securing means forsaid mouth which is applicable to tubes of varying diameters.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a carrier for toothbrushes.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for theirattainment will be more apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating oneembodiment by which the invention may be realized, and in which:

Figure l is a view in front elevation showing the collapsible tubeholder and expeller of this invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken in the plane indicated bythe line 2 2 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken in the plane indicated bythe line 3--3 of Figure l and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through one of the postswhere it Slides in the slot.

The tube holder of this invention comprises a wall plate or bracket 5conveniently formed of sheet metal whereof the top edge 6 and side edges1 are deflected rearwardly, as by a stamping or pressing operation, as abevelled edge serving to space the rear wall 5 from the wall surface towhich it is attached as by screws 9 passing through suitable holes inthe wall plate 5. The lower portion of the plate 5 1 is bent outwardlyat right angles as at 9 to serve as a support for the lower end or mouthof the tube and may conveniently be formed with a plurality of aperturesH, shown in this instance as one at each end, in which the tooth brushesI3 maybe supported. These apertures are, in the illustrated embodiment,oval or elongated in shape, the major axis of which being perpendicularof the plane of the rear plate 5.

. Equally spaced on each side of the longitudinal median line of theplate 5 are formed a pair of slots l5 extending substantially the lengthof the plate 5 and formed with a rectangular portion I1 at the upper endthrough which may be inserted a pair of slides or bracket members I9.These bracket members are illustrated as formed with notches or grooves2l near their rear ends thereof of a width substantially equal to thethickness of the rear plate 5, and the dimension of the material betweenthe opposed grooves 2| is substantially equal to the width of the slotsI5 so that the opposed walls of the slots I5 serve as brackets downwhich the two members i9 may slide with a fairly snug t as the contentsof a tube 23 of, say, tooth paste, is expelled. The outer ends of theposts I9 are formed with aligned circular apertures 25 serving asbearingsY or journals for a shaft 21 extending therebetween and havingat its one end a knurled head 29. The other end of the shaft is retainedby means of a Cotter pin 29 or the equivalent Whereby the shaft 21 isprevented from accidental removal. The shaft 25 and the two posts I9thus serve as a slide or frame adapted to travel up and down the tracksI5. Intermediate the posts I9, the shaft 21 is formed with a slot 3|adapted to receive the flat end 33 of the collapsible tube, the knurledhead 29 then being rotated to wind that end of the tube down the shaft21 to collapse the same, thereby expelling the tube contents through themouth 35 of the tube. Opposed post corners in the grooves may be cutaway or rounded, as at 45, to avoid binding should the frame moveunevenly.

The mouths of collapsible tubes of this nature are usually threaded toreceive a knurled cap 31 which is removed when the contents of the tubeor a charge thereof is to be expelled. To accommodate tubes the miouthsof which vary in size and to retain the mouth lixed with respect to theplate 9 when the shaft 21 is rotated, a substantially V-shaped notch orthe equivalent 39 is formed centrally of the lower plate or table 9. Theedges of this slot are bevelled, as indicated at 4I, to be receivedwithin and engage the threads on the tubular mouth 35 to preventdisplacement thereof and in order to prevent the lower end of the tubefrom swinging outwardly out of the V-shaped notch 35. As the shaft 21 isrotated, the bevelled edge 4I of the notch may be formed with aplurality of saw teeth 43 which will have a tendency to bite into thesoft metal of the tubular mouth 35 and prevent movement thereof.

When the tube 23 is in position, as shown in Figure 1, it will bereadily apparent that the cap 31 may be unscrewed to expose the openmouth and when a tooth brush or other receiving instrumentality isplaced beneath the mouth and the knurled head 29 rotated, a charge ofthe tube contents will be expelled. Rotation of the knurled head willtend to pull the tube upwardly in an axial direction but the lower endbeing held fixed in the V-shaped notch 39, the 'resultant force willtend to wind the upper end of the tube about the shaft, thus collapsingthe tube and at the same time causing the frame members I9 to movedownwardly in the tracks, each an equal distance, thereby maintainingthe horizontal relationship of the shaft 21 and causing all of thematerial to be expelled from that portion of the tube, that is, winddown the shaft. When the desired quantity has been expelled, the cap 31may be again replaced.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in thecomposition, configuration and disposition of the component elementsgoing to make up the invention as a whole as well as in the use to whichthe invention may be put, and no limitation is intended by thephraseology of the Y foregoing description or illustrations in theaccompanying drawing, except as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible tube holder and expeller of the character describedcomprising a sheet metal plate of rectangular shape having three sideedge portions deflected to space the mid-portion from a wall and thefourth edge deflected in a direction opposite thereto as 'a tubesupporting member, said plate being formed with a pair of spacedparallel slots whereof the upper ends are enlarged to permit theinsertion of posts, posts grooved, respectively, at one end receivedwithin the slots for sliding movement therein, a shaft journalled inVthe outer extremities of the posts tangular shape having means to spacethe midl portion thereof from a wall and aportion at an angle thereto asa tube supporting'member, said plate being formed with a pair of spacedparallel slots whereof the upper ends are enlarged to permit theinsertion of posts, posts grooved, respectively, at one `end andreceived within the slots for sliding movement therein, a shaftjournalled in the outer extremities of the posts and formed with a slottherebetween to receive the end of a collapsible tube, said angularportion being formed with a notch to receive the mouth of the tube.

3. A collapsible tube holder and expeller of the character describedcomprising a metal plate of rectangular shape having three side edgesdeected to space the mid-portion from a wall and the fourth edgedeflected in a direction opposite thereto as a tube supporting member,said plate being formed with a pair of spaced parallel slots whereof theupper ends are enlarged to permitv the insertion of posts, postsgrooved, respectively, at one end received within the slots for slidingmovement therein, a shaft journalled in the outer extremities of theposts and formed with a slot therebetween to receive the end of acollapsible tube, said deiiected edge being formed with a notch toreceive the mouth of a collapsible tube, the edge of said notch beingbevelled.

4. A collapsible tube holder and expeller of the character describedcomprising a metal plate of rectangular shape having three side edgesdeflected to space the mid-portion from a Wall and the fourth edgedeflected in a direction opposite thereto as a tube supporting member,said plate f being formed with a pair of spaced parallel slots whereofthe Yupper ends are enlarged to permit the insertion of posts, postsgrooved, respectively, at o-ne end received within the slots for slidingmovement therein, a shaft journalled in the outer extremities of theposts and formed with a slot therebetween to receive the end of acollapsible tube, said deiiected edge being formed with a notch toreceive the mouth of a collapsible tube. the edge of said notch beingformed with inwardly directed teeth.

5. A collapsible tube holder and expeller of the character describedcomprising a metal plate of rectangular shape having three side edgesdeilected to space the mid-portion from a wall and the fourth edgedeflected in a direction opposite thereto as a tube supporting member,said plate being formed with a pair of spaced parallel slots whereof theupper ends are enlarged to permit the insertion of posts, posts grooved,respectively, at one end received within the slots for sliding movementtherein, a shaft journalled in the outer extremities of the posts andformed with a slot therebetween to receive the end of a collapsibletube, said deflected edge being formed with a notch to receive the mouthof a collapsible tube, the edge of said notch being bevelled, saidbevelleld portion being formed with inwardly directed teeth.

6. A collapsible tube holder and expeller of the character describedcomprising a bracket having a horizontal portion formed with a notch toreceive the mouth of a collapsible tube, the edge of said notch beingformed with inwardly directed teeth.

7. A collapsible tube holder and expeller of the character describedcomprising a bracket having a horizontal portion formed with a V-shapednotch to receive the mouth of a collapsible tube, the edge of said notchbeing bevelled, said bevelled portion being formed with saw-teethinwardly directed toward the apex of the notch.

8. A collapsible tube holder and expeller of the character describedcomprising a pressed sheet metal plate of rectangular shape having threeside edges deflected rearwardly at an angle less than ninety degrees tospace the mid-portion of the plate from a wall and the fourth edgedeflected at right angles in a direction opposite thereto as a tubesupporting member, said plate being formed with a pair of spacedparallel slots whereof the upper ends are enlarged to permit theinsertion of posts, posts grooved, respectively, at one end receivedwithin the slots for sliding movement therein, a shaft journalled in theouter extremities of the posts and formed with a slot therebetween toreceive the end of a collapsible tube, a knob on the shaft end in theplane of the deflected edge portion, said fourth edge portion beingformed with a notch to receive the mouth of the tube.

- y JOHN H. RUTH.

